IOverview
Mainstream Sikhism is this library's term for the great majority of Sikhs, who accept the ten Gurus from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh and the Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal Guru since 1708. Khalsa Panth means the community of the Khalsa, the community of the pure founded by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
It is not a named sect in the way branches of some other religions are. Mainstream Sikhs simply call themselves Sikhs, and other groups are defined by how they differ from them. Within the mainstream there are three levels of observance, Amritdhari, Keshdhari and Sahajdhari. These describe how fully a person practises, not three separate sects.
IIHistory
The history of the mainstream is the shared history of Sikhism, told on the main page. What gave the mainstream its present shape were the reforms that began in the late nineteenth century. The Singh Sabha movement, launched in Amritsar in 1873, sought to define clearly who is a Sikh and to remove from places of worship practices it regarded as Hindu. The gurdwara reform movement of the early 1920s then won control of the historic shrines from hereditary mahants.
- 1699Founding of the KhalsaGuru Gobind Singh holds the first Amrit initiation at Anandpur on Vaisakhi.
- 1708The scripture becomes GuruGuru Gobind Singh passes the Guruship to the Adi Granth, henceforth the Guru Granth Sahib.
- 1873Singh Sabha movementThe start of a reform of doctrine and ritual.
- 1920SGPC foundedThe Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is formed during the gurdwara reform movement.
- 1925Sikh Gurdwaras ActThe British Punjab government hands the historic gurdwaras to a committee elected by Sikhs.
- 1945Rehat MaryadaA unified code of conduct and ritual is approved, published in 1950.
IIIBelief and Distinctives
According to the Rehat Maryada, a Sikh is a person who believes in one Supreme Being, the ten Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib, the teachings of the ten Gurus and the Amrit instituted by the tenth Guru, and who owes allegiance to no other religion. After 1708 there is no living human Guru. Guidance rests with the scripture, the Guru Granth, and with the Khalsa community, the Guru Panth.
| Level of observance | Who |
|---|---|
| Amritdhari | Those who have taken Amrit, keep all five Ks and the four prohibitions. Britannica puts them at about 15 to 18 percent of Sikhs. |
| Keshdhari | Those who keep their hair uncut and usually wear a turban but have not taken Amrit. |
| Sahajdhari | Those who follow the teachings without yet keeping the outward signs. |
The mainstream also includes groups with particular emphases that accept the same Gurus and scripture. The Akhand Kirtani Jatha, which grew around Bhai Randhir Singh early in the twentieth century, is known for all-night kirtan and holds that the keski, a small turban, is one of the five required Ks, whereas the Rehat Maryada lists kesh, uncut hair.
IVPractice, Ritual and Daily Life
Each day mainstream Sikhs recite the morning, evening and night prayers known as Nitnem. In the gurdwara the Guru Granth Sahib rests on a raised platform under a canopy, attended by someone waving a chauri. Worship includes kirtan, readings, the Ardas prayer and the sharing of karah prasad. The langar, the communal kitchen, is open to everyone regardless of religion or caste. The wedding rite, Anand Karaj, has the couple walk four times around the scripture. Major festivals include Vaisakhi, the Gurpurabs marking the Gurus' anniversaries, and Bandi Chhor Divas.
VOrganisation and Distribution
There is no ordained clergy. The granthi who reads the scripture is a servant of the congregation, not an intermediary. The highest voice of authority is the Akal Takht in Amritsar, which issues hukamnamas, directives to the whole community. The SGPC, elected by Sikhs in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh, manages the historic gurdwaras and appoints the head of the Akal Takht. Abroad, each gurdwara is usually run by a committee of its local congregation.
There are about 25 million Sikhs worldwide according to the World Religion Database cited by Pew Research, an estimate published in 2015. India alone counted 20,833,116 Sikhs in its 2011 census. This library has no separate figure for the mainstream, though all sources treat it as the great majority.
In 2024 the Akal Takht and the SGPC decided that the Nishan Sahib flags at gurdwaras should be basanti yellow or surmai blue grey rather than the kesri orange that had become common, on the grounds that this follows the Rehat Maryada. The Nanakshahi calendar published in 1999 also remains a subject of debate within the mainstream.
VIIn Vietnam
Sikhism does not appear on the list of recognised religions in Ministry of Home Affairs document 6955 of 28 December 2020. This library records that as an administrative fact. It is said that Saigon had a gurdwara serving the Indian community before 1975, but no reliable source has been found for its address or years of operation. Nor is there reliable data on how many Sikhs live in Vietnam today or on any place of worship now open.
VIISymbol of the Branch
Khanda on the Nishan Sahib flag
Khanda
VIIISub-branches
- Akhand Kirtani Jatha (holds that the keski turban is a required K)
IXOther Branches of Sikhism
Mainstream Sikhism (Khalsa Panth)ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਪੰਥ Khālsā PanthThe great majority of Sikhs.
Nihangਨਿਹੰਗ NihangA warrior order within the Khalsa, not a separate faith.
Namdhari (Kuka)ਨਾਮਧਾਰੀ NāmdhārīFounded by Satguru Ram Singh in April 1857 at Sri Bhaini Sahib.
Sikh Dharma (3HO)Sikh Dharma InternationalFounded in the United States by Harbhajan Singh (Yogi Bhajan), 1971 according to Britannica, 1969 in some sources.Uses the common symbol of the pathNirankariਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੀ NirankārīFounded by Baba Dayal in 1851 in northwest Punjab, stressing remembrance of the Name and the formless God.Uses the common symbol of the pathUdasiਉਦਾਸੀ UdāsīA celibate renunciant order founded by Sri Chand, son of Guru Nanak.Uses the common symbol of the path
Ravidassiaਰਵਿਦਾਸੀਆ RavidāsīāA community revering Guru Ravidas, formerly counted as a Sikh group.XSources
The library cross-checks the sources below. Where they disagree, the page gives both.
?Quick Questions
Are Amritdhari, Keshdhari and Sahajdhari three Sikh sects?
No. They are three levels of observance within one community. Amritdhari Sikhs have taken Amrit and keep all five Ks, Keshdhari Sikhs keep uncut hair, and Sahajdhari Sikhs follow the teachings without yet keeping the outward signs.
What is the Rehat Maryada?
It is the shared Sikh code of conduct and ritual, approved in 1945 and published in 1950. It defines who is a Sikh and sets out how to pray, how to perform Amrit and weddings, and what is prohibited.
Who holds the highest authority in Sikhism?
Spiritually, the Guru Granth Sahib. For collective decisions, the Akal Takht in Amritsar. The SGPC is an elected committee that manages the historic gurdwaras in Punjab and nearby states.